October 6, 2017
Get to know our faculty, staff and students. Five Questions With is a series of occasional Q+As highlighting members of the Ursuline College community, starting with new faculty members. After teaching music courses at Ursuline on an adjunct basis, Dr. Leo Coach joined the faculty this fall as Music Department chair.
Tell us about yourself.
I am a musician, composer, arranger and educator. I am an Ohio native and completed PhD courses in ethnomusicology at Kent State University, earned my master’s in ethnomusicology from Cleveland State University and my bachelor’s in music and humanities from Capital University in Columbus. I perform with jazz, salsa and world music ensembles in venues across the US and in Europe. I also arrange and perform collaborative concerts with South Indian musicians at the Thyagaraja Festival of Carnatic music held annually at Cleveland State University.
Tell us about a professional (or other) accomplishment of which you are most proud.
I am particularly proud of two concerts: In 2000 and 2001, I composed music for a series of concerts that featured a combining of Slovenian classic and contemporary poetry with jazz. The concerts were simulcast live across the country. This past May, I performed in a cross-cultural concert with South Indian Carnatic musicians at The Bop Stop. You can watch this video of one of the songs here.
What drew you to Ursuline College?
What drew me to Ursuline was Sr. Janet Moore. I met her when she needed an adjunct to teach several music courses. I have learned so much from her about student engagement, connecting themes throughout a course, as well as her overall approach to teaching in context. I consider her a mentor, a friend and a colleague.
What are you most excited about in this year at Ursuline and/or what new ideas or initiatives are you looking forward to implementing?
I am most excited about the new Pep Band that is starting up this semester. Also, we will be starting a choir at Ursuline next fall.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I have two dogs.
Note: Sr. Janet Moore retired in May as Music Department chair after 45 years at Ursuline.
